A remark on organic teas in genera, I oddly find that if a tea is labeled organic is more likely to have a *rustic* appearance (less perfect needle rolled leaves, most like rolled/ smashed with some larger flat portions). I wonder if there is any explainable link that is more than just theory.

Warming up with some more Xi Hu Long Jing from Norbu this chilly gray morning, enjoying the play of light through the tea in my Tempest Hagi. The Tempest seems especially appropriate after a we finally experienced a proper storm overnight. Sweet, warm, vegetal, delicate tea to wet my whistle, as I gaze outside at the marvelously wet yard.

I am currently enjoying some Nepali High Himalaya Hand-Rolled Green grandpa style. The only word I can think of to describe this tea's flavor is "rugged." It is far from a refined flavor yet delicious in its own rugged way.

How is everyone brewing Sencha Sae Midori from O-Cha? Quantity of tea, time, and temp please. I found the perfect way to brew it but lost my notes!! Help please. Thanks from a Japanese green tea lover.

davidglass wrote:How is everyone brewing Sencha Sae Midori from O-Cha? Quantity of tea, time, and temp please. I found the perfect way to brew it but lost my notes!! Help please. Thanks from a Japanese green tea lover.

It's a perfect sencha morning, but because I'm anticipating diving right in to a new shipment arriving soon of special Korean greens from Morning Crane, I'm drinking more Xi Hu Long Jing from Norbu this morning. The last of the Aoi sencha will wait a bit, so I don't have two competing greens open at once....

Successive steeps, increasing temp. 15-30 seconds for second and increase for successive steeps.

Wow, very different from my brewing, I'll have to give yours a shot.

I'm brewing just under 300ml, so that would mean using close to 10 grams of leaf I already find it strong enough, not sure this would work with my palate (granted, I would brew at a lower temp as you are...but when I use a larger volume of water I like it a little warmer, as it takes time to sip it and I don't like it too cold). Alternatively, I could brew 1/2 the volume and thus use 1/2 the leaf...will have to give it a shot when I open my next/last bag of this tea.

Successive steeps, increasing temp. 15-30 seconds for second and increase for successive steeps.

Wow, very different from my brewing, I'll have to give yours a shot.

I'm brewing just under 300ml, so that would mean using close to 10 grams of leaf I already find it strong enough, not sure this would work with my palate (granted, I would brew at a lower temp as you are...but when I use a larger volume of water I like it a little warmer, as it takes time to sip it and I don't like it too cold). Alternatively, I could brew 1/2 the volume and thus use 1/2 the leaf...will have to give it a shot when I open my next/last bag of this tea.

I usually brew 4-5 ounces (120-150 ml) +/- ... so that makes a huge difference in more ways than the simple obvious ... less liquid and less tea leaf used.

The water cools much faster when brewing a smaller volume which can dramatically impact the brewing results.

I also tend to become more focused versus when brewing a lot of liquid and thus the more concentrated brewing technique.

I sometimes go even cooler as I increase the leaf for this Sae Midori ... it can come out a lot like Gyokuro, nice and deep and sweet ... lovely ... in fact, some call this cultivar a "natural gyokuro"" even though it is grown like sencha.